Many engines include fuel injectors that supply fuel to one or more cylinders of the engine. These engines operate more effectively when the fuel that is delivered to the cylinders is relatively free of contaminants. This is because contaminants, if not removed, lead to undesirable operation of the engine and/or increase the wear rate of engine components. Fuel injectors, which may have orifices manufactured to precise tolerances and shapes, may be particularly susceptible to damage and/or impairment by contaminants such as dirt and debris. For these reasons, many engines employ a filter to help clean fuel of contaminants before the fuel reaches the fuel injectors orifices.
One example of a conventional fuel filter is an edge filter, which may be press fit into a cavity of a fuel system component, such as a fuel injector. An example of an edge filter is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,825, which issued on Oct. 1, 1996 (“the '825 patent). Typical edge filters, such as the edge filter of the '825 patent, form passageways at gaps between edges of the filter and a wall of the associated cavity. These passageways allow fuel to pass through, but block particles that do not fit through the gaps.
While edge filters may help to prevent some contaminants from reaching fuel injector orifices, they may suffer from some drawbacks. For example, the gaps formed by edge filters may be elongated, allowing debris that may be small in only one dimension (but relatively large in the other dimensions) to pass through. In addition, many edge filters are difficult to service because they are often press fit into a cavity formed in the fuel injector itself. This configuration limits access to the filter, rendering it difficult for an operator to determine whether the filter is plugged or clogged. Moreover, if the filter does become plugged or clogged, the entire fuel injector may need to be replaced because the filter alone cannot be changed.
The present disclosure is directed at overcoming one or more of the shortcomings set forth above and/or other problems of the prior art.